1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to skin care devices and methods and, more specifically, to a Personal Care Vaporizer Device for Hands.
2. Description of Related Art
Skin treatment devices are plentiful. Some pertinent examples of conventional devices and systems in this field are: Mehl, Sr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,085, Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,414, and Burian, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,122.
Mehl is a “Skin Moisturizing and Buffing Device.” The Mehl system combines a handheld facial buffer that has an internal steam generator for creating a stream of steam for emission through the “movable skin contacting assembly” (i.e. the facial buffer head). While the Mehl device does provide a handheld steam buffer, it fails to allow the user the option of either cool vapor or heated steam emitted through the buffer head. Furthermore, the amount of vapor available for use is severely limited due to the entire package being of handheld size. A device providing a large volume liquid reservoir that can emit either heated steam or cool vapor would provide a wider set of benefits to the user.
Walker is a “Steam Device for Cosmetic Skin Treatment.” The Walker device does provide a large water reservoir for use in steam emission, but it fails to provide the option of cool vapor.
The Burian “Electrically Heated Facial Sauna Vapor Generating Apparatus,” like Walker discloses a large-reservoir, steam generating facial massage device. Just as with Walker, Burian fails to suggest the generation of cool vapor (in addition to hot steam) for facial application through the massage head. The ability to deliver hot or cool vapor through the massage head allows the user to continue the facial massage while heating and cooling the massage head and skin. If only the only option is to deliver steam, then the user must either stop the massage or stop the vapor delivery in the event that the face becomes uncomfortably hot.
In the field of hand skin treatment devices and system, the following references are relevant: Dragone, U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,010, Jaw, U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,322, Robertson, U.S. Pat. No. D342,992, M. Geria, U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,838 and Kopfer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,987. Each of these prior devices relates to the cleansing of a person's hands, rather than to the application of liquid vapor for the purpose of improving the skin condition of the person's hands.
Dragone is a “Liquid-nebulizing Device for the Dermatological Treatment of the Hands” that has a spray atomizer for dispensing disinfecting liquid onto the user's hands. There is not option of applying cool or warm vapor for the purpose of improving the quality of the skin.
Jaw discloses the “Structure of Sterilizing Hand Dryer” that permits the user to insert his or her hands into the cleaning chamber, wherein sterilizing liquid is first sprayed on the hands, and then warm, air is applied to dry the hands. There is no suggestion of therapeutic application of cool or warm vapor/mist to the hands.
Robertson as a design patent, simply discloses a boxy, single aperture, “sanitizing station for limbs.” From the disclosure, it is uncertain what functionality is offered to the user, beyond that the user apparently inserts his or her hands into the front opening for “sanitizing.”
M. Geria is a “Heating Device for Limb Extremities” that does enable the user to apply heated air to the limbs. However, there is no potential for the application of fluid mist onto the limbs, whether warm or cool mist/vapor.
Finally, Kopfer is a “Surgeon Hand and Arm Scrubbing Apparatus” that has a pair of cavities formed within the main housing. The user inserts his or her hands into the cavities and internal nozzles eject streams of fluid into the cavities. The Kopfer device is quite elaborate in its design, but is limited to cool water spray or warm air with sterilizing vapor. There is no capability to manually select cool or warm liquid vapor for application to one's hands.